Key case



April M, w36.

D. E. RHODES KEY CASE Filed Jan. 14, 1935 Patented Apr. 14, 1936 UNITED STATES PATE-NT OFFICE 7 Claims.

"This invention has for its object the provision of a durable holder for keys which may be carried in a pocket and will hold a plurality o-f keys separated and permit the extraction of any one key 5 for use without necessitating `the handling of the entire case of keys or having the other keys dangling from the key which is in use. 'I'he invention ls illustrated in the accompanying drawing and consists in certain novel features which will be particularly dened in the claims following a detail description.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a key case embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view with a part'in section.

Figure 3 is a transverse section on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the blank from which the case is made showing the blank spread out 2o before being folded to form the case and showing one key retainer secured in position.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary detail sectional view on the line 5-5 of Figure 4.

In carrying out the present invention, there is provided a blank of sheet metal substantially oblong in outline having notches I in its opposite edges at its center, the walls of said notches being arcuate, as clearly shown in Figure 4. The blank is scored, as shown at 2, at its center on aline so connecting the apexes of the notches I and near each end it is scored upon lines 3, other lines 4 being scored at a point remote from the ends and parallel with the ends and the lines or scores 3, as shown. Side flaps or tongues 5 are formed on the .'35 blank between the lines 3 and 4 at one end of the blank and other transverse lines 6 are scored upon the blank parallel and at the inner sides of the lines 4. Indentations I are made in the blank adjacent and at opposite sides of the central score 40 2, as shown. In addition to the main blank, keyretaining blanks are provided, each consisting of slightly tapered resilient tongues 8 connected at their wider ends by an integral portion of the I blank. Y

In producing the case, the retainers have their longer edges placed upon the blank along the lines 3, and the edge portions of the blank 9 beyond the lines 3 are folded over upon the retainers with their ends compressed against the main body of the blank I and crimped against the end edge of the retainer, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, the retainers being thus firmly secured against the blank with their ends free to bear against the keys, as will later appear. The blank is then folded along the scored lines, being doubled along the line 2 to produce the partition I I having its upper corners rounded, as shown at I2, and the indentations 1 are thus brought into registration so as to produce projections rI3 on the opposite sides of the partition which,1as shown in Figure 2, will mark the`key case intoseats or key-receiving and holding compartments. The blank is then folded squarely along the line `6 to produce the bo-ttoms 'I4 of the case extending in opposite directions from ythe partition, -as clearly shown in Figure 3, and the end portions of the blank are then bent upwardly to form the side walls I 5 parallel with the partition with their upper edges in the Vplane of the projections |3,'as 4will be understood upon referenceltoFigure'B. "This formation will `bring the retainers 8l into 'downwardly converging relation so that their free ends will bear against the respective sides of the partition, as clearly shown in Figure 3. 'Ihe device is completed by then folding the tongues r5 across the ends of the case so as toform end walls I6 with the free end edges of the tongues being folded against the side of the case, as shown at II.

The keys are inserted with their tips downwardly into the pockets defined by the sides and partition and the projections I3 with the handles or heads of the keys resting on the projections. The insertion of the keys will press the resilient tongues or retainers 8 outwardly and the resistance to such pressure will create a frictional engagement between the retainers and the keys whereby the keys will be rrnly held in the case and against the partition. When any one key is to be used, it is merely drawn out from the cornpartment in which it is placed and the case with the other keys returned to the garment pocket.

It will be readily noted that I have provided a very simple and light key case which may be produced expeditiously at a low cost and which will effectually hold the keys placed therein. There is no likelihood of any two keys becoming so set with relation to each other as to prevent the withdrawal of either key and any one key may be withdrawn and used without disturbing the remaining keys. In folding the blank to produce the key case, the edge portions and tongues of the blank may be readily compressed so that they will hold the parts engaged by them Without the use of rivets or any other extraneous fastenings. It should be understood that, in manufacture, it will probably not be necessary to indicate the scored portions 2, 3, 4 and 6 in the blank, but such scores have been indicated herein for the sake of clearness.

It is believed that from the foregoing description the construction and operation of the invention will be clearly understood.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is:

1. A key case comprising a partition, pockets extending longitudinally of the partition at the opposite sides thereof, spacing members formed on the partition and extending between the partitionand the outer Walls of the pockets, and resilient means in the pockets for retaining inserted keys.

2. A key case comprising a partition, pockets extending longitudinally of the partition at opposite sides of the same, and projections on the partition extending to the outer Walls of the pockets to separate inserted keys.

3. A key case comprising pockets, a longitudinal partition separating the pockets, means for closing the ends of the pockets and retaining the outer walls thereof, in spaced relation to the partition, and resilient tongues mounted upon the outer Walls of the pockets within the pockets and adapted to engage inserted keys to yieldably resist withdrawal thereof.

4. An integral key case comprising a central longitudinal partition having projections thereon, bottom members extending in opposite direcvtions from the lower edge of the partition, outer walls rising from the upper edges of said bottom members to form pockets at the sides of thepartition, the projections on the partition extending to the outer walls of the pockets to separate inserted keys, and end members extending across the end edges of the partition from one of said pocket walls and lapping over the end edges of the other pocket wall.

5. An integral key case comprising a central longitudinal partition having projections thereon, bottom members extending in opposite directionsfrom the lower edge of the partition, outer Walls rising from the upper edges of said bottom members to form pockets at the sides of the partition, the projections on the partition extending to the outer walls of the pockets to separate inserted keys, end members extending across the end edges of the partition from one of said pocket Walls and lapping over the end edges of the other pocket wall, and a plurality of resilient tongues clamped against the upper edge portions of the pocket walls and depending within the pockets to bear at their free ends against the partition.

6. A key case including a blank bent medially to define a partition and walls, and key retainling blanks comprising resilient tonguesb said blanks being connected with the first mentioned blank and being adapted to provide key retaining means after the first mentioned blank has been folded to define the partition and walls, said iirst mentioned blank having indentations adapted to engage the walls for defining key receiving pockets.

7. A key case including a blank bent to define a partition and walls and having indentations defining lkey pockets, and a second blank connected with said first mentioned blank and defining resilient tongues adapted to project into the pockets for retaining keys therein against displacement.

DAVID E. RHODES. 

